Manchester Woman Hospitalized As Crash Brings Down Pole, Wires

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester woman was hospitalized Wednesday night following a crash that brought down a utilty pole and wires on Pinewald Keswick Road, Manchester police said.

Kathleen Smith, 75, was driving a blue 2013 Hyundai Elantra west on Pinewald Keswick Road about 6 p.m. when the car ran off the road near Pine Ridge Boulevard and hit a utility pole, Manchester Capt. Vincent Manco said.

After hitting the pole the Hyundai rolled over several times before coming to a stop in the woods on the north side of the road, with live wires lying on the car, Manco said.

Jersey Central Power & Light responded to turn off the power to the wires so Smith could be safely removed from her car, he said.

Smith was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, Manco said. Authorities said an unknown medical event appears to have led to the crash, which remains under investigation.

The road was partially closed during the investigation and clean-up.

Assisting at the scene were emergency medical technicians from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, JCP&L and Accurate Towing.

Patrolman Brendan Brush of the department’s Traffic Safety Section is investigating.